SPRINGFIELD - Police charged a 38-year-old city man with mayhem and other charges Wednesday after he bit a woman in the forehead during an unarmed robbery in the South End Wednesday night, Lt. Trent J. Hufnagel said.

Police encountered the 38-year-old victim after the attack as she walked down Main Street near Union Street with a male companion, Hufnagel said.

Although the right side of her face was covered with blood, the woman declined an ambulance and told police she would get medical assistance on her own, Hufnagel said.

The victims told police they had been walking down Central Street, near Main Street, shortly before 10 p.m., when the 28-year-old suspect approached and stated "You owe me money," Hufnagel said.

The suspect then punched the male victim and stole a gold earring from his ear. The male victim then fled, Hufnagel said.

The suspect then grabbed the woman and bit her on the forehead above the right eye, Hufnagel said.

The victims gave police a description of their attacker and a short time later, K-9 Officer Raoul Gonzalez found him near Maple and Union streets and placed him under arrest.

The victims identified the suspect, Hufnagel said. The suspect, Gregory Alexander, of 191 Boston Road, was also charged with unarmed robbery, he said.